The Week That Was – February 2 to February 8

This week saw the SPC Ardmona saga continue, and politicians trying to change things.

Liberal back bencher Sharman Stone, whose electorate covers Shepparton – where SPC Ardmona is based – accused Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey of lying while talking to ABC Rural. When they said that they wouldn’t give money to SPC, they blamed the wages the company was paying workers, as well as “over generous” allowances. SPC Ardmona’s parent company, Coca Cola Amatil denied this and released a statement correcting the PM and the Treasurer. It also asks why the government is not taking a stronger stance against imported products the way New Zealand has.

The government also wants to change the education system, turning around 1500 public schools into government-funded independent schools. The thing is, they don’t run schools, the States do. So while Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia have some public schools run independently, the rest of the country does not. Christopher Pyne has some selling to do.

The government also wants to change the awards system (the rules about paying shift workers) and are seeing whether or not companies still need to pay penalty rates (if you work late, on weekends or public holidays, you are paid more as compensation). It sounds like they want to have Zombie Work Choices, bringing a bad system back to life. Even though Abbott said it was “dead, buried and cremated”.

Tony Abbott had a little victory speech the other day, saying it had been 50 days since “an illegal boat” arrived in Australia. Again with the terrible timing, it just so happened that an orange lifeboat showed up on an Indonesian beach and then the videos taken by the asylum seekers was released to the ABC. Oops. But they don’t comment about “on water operations” because they don’t want to tell the people smugglers what is going on. But hey, once the ABC had the footage, they could give it to others, and imagine my cringing when Al Jazeera and BBC World News showed it. Great.

Speaking of the ABC, they’ve apologised for the wording of their reports about the mistreatment of asylum seekers but not airing the story, because it’s in the public interest.

The Griffith by-election took place on Saturday and at this point, it appears that Terri Butler (ALP) has won.

Tweet of the Week

The disadvantage of using your breaking news colours for bushfire warnings while talking about other breaking news regarding Schapelle Corby’s parole

By the look of the media scrum size I'd say it's actually Schapelle who's in immediate danger pic.twitter.com/0CZMKkDAeP

— Andrew Greene (@AndrewBGreene) February 7, 2014

Things I’ve Been Reading/Watching/Listening

The Canadian Luge ad everyone is talking about.

The Undoing of Australia Network – The Hoopla

The Week That Was – January 26 to February 1

So, this week began with controversy. The guy who runs one of Australia’s pro-monarchy groups thinks that a referendum on Indigenous recognition could lead to “violence in the streets” against those who do not support it. He’s been criticised for his comments because, really, I don’t think Australians would be that stupid as to get violent just because people don’t agree on a topic. If we were, there wouldn’t be many of us left, and no-one would want to be a politician.

The ABC and Fairfax revealed that there is corruption and criminality in the CFMEU (the construction union) and at some of Australia’s major building sites. Tony Abbott says he isn’t surprised, and says that if the Labor Party is serious about tackling corruption they will “stay out of the way”. Abbott used to be the minister that oversaw this kind of stuff, and there was a Royal Commission. He wants another now, but the unions don’t. They don’t see why the government can’t leave the investigating to the Australian Federal Police.

Tony Abbott had a go at the ABC too, not for the story they broke about the CFMEU and construction industry, though. You see, the Prime Minister seems to think that the ABC is “on everyone’s side but Australia’s”. Labor thinks that the government should leave the ABC alone. And in what seems like the worst timing possible, the next day Malcolm Turnbull announced an efficiency review into the ABC and SBS (which is partially taxpayer-funded). Turnbull appeared on the ABC and explained what the review was going to be about. You can see that here.

There has also been a bit of a change in the stories about how the asylum seekers got burnt. They’re still blaming the Australian Navy, but one now says that they were sprayed in the eyes with pepper spray and as he couldn’t see, he walked into the engine, burning his hands. Another says that asylum seekers were thrown onto the engine when they confronted the sailors. Meanwhile, Scott Morrison appeared in front of a Senate Committee, and answered some questions on Operation Sovereign Borders. He didn’t answer some of them because the people smugglers would have found out. But why any other nation would broadcast Australian Senate Committee sittings confounds me, given other nations don’t really seem to care about Australian politics, unless the leader changes,.

Also this week, Peter Cosgrove was named the next Governor-General of Australia. He still has to be approved by Parliament and the Queen, but most people seem pleased and Labor appears to like him.

Tweets of the Week

The ABC News and Current Affairs staff got a bit cheeky after the PM said they weren’t patriotic.

Tonight's edition of @abc730 will lead with @leighsales' performance of Advance Australia Fair, and a reading of the Lord's Prayer. #abc730

— ABC News Intern (@ABCnewsIntern) January 29, 2014

What I’ve been Reading/Watching/Listening

Opinion on the Coalition vs. ABC – Guardian Australia

Tracey Spicer at TEDxSouthBankWomen

Jonathan Holmes on Scott Morrison and the ABC – Sydney Morning Herald

Faux Pas of the Week

Julie Bishop is usually intelligent, but someone must not have checked that she knew what electorate she was in, because she kept calling Griffith (Kevin Rudd’s old seat, currently in a by-election campaign) “Griffin”. Oops. (it starts at about 0:35)

The Week That Was – November 17 to November 23

This week has seen quite a bit of insanity.

First, the ABC and The Guardian released information about Australia spying on Indonesia, and more seriously spying on the President, his wife and his inner circle. This may have been in 2009, but they found out this week, and that means that it is Tony Abbott’s responsibility to respond. He didn’t and as of writing this, still hasn’t responded appropriately. Tanya Plibersek spoke to Insiders this morning and said that Abbott is mishandling it. The Indonesians may not specifically want an apology, although they’d like one, instead they want an explanation as to why Australia’s intelligence organisations saw it necessary to tap the phones of Indonesian politicians. Abbott has been saying that the relationship is special and that he is committed to building it and making it better, but the Indonesian government has stopped helping with people smuggling – unless cases were already underway. Hamish Macdonald, sitting on Richard Glover’s chair at 702 ABC Sydney at the start of the week, talked to the Indonesian President’s party deputy.

https://soundcloud.com/702abcsydney/nurhayati-ali-assagaf-sbys

Also this week, came the saga over the ABC payroll leak – you can read my take on it here – and they have solved who leaked it. When a South Australian politician lodged a Freedom of Information (FOI) request about the number of people who worked at the ABC, the payroll information was also sent along. The politician was asked not to disclose the payroll information and presumably, get rid of it. Before that was done, someone passed the payroll information onto News Limited papers, who published them.

This week may have been serious, but there were some amusing bits. A clip has been put online of Gary Gray eating his hair…

Which reminds me of this from 6 years ago…

Here’s hoping we sort out our issues with Indonesia and have a better time next week.

Tweet of the Week

A cartoon from an Indonesian newspaper that is anything but flattering of Tony Abbott.

Tony Abbott depicted as a "peeping tom" on front page of leading Indonesian political paper http://t.co/YlABMsscLe pic via @mbachelard

— George Roberts (@George_Roberts) November 23, 2013

What I’ve Been Looking At

Annabel Crabb’s look into press freedom (including the publication of her pay packet) – SMH

Western Celebrities and Arabic Culture – Al Jazeera English

The Week That Was – November 10 to November 16

This week was always going to be interesting, given that Parliament started, but no-one knew how much so until Kevin Rudd decided to quit – but I’ll get to that in a little bit.

The week began with the first day of parliament on Tuesday. Politicians were sworn in and Bronwyn Bishop was elected as Speaker. She’s known to have a well-thumbed copy of the rules and it seems that Labor is not happy about it.

Yep. Tony Burke just likened parliament to Hogwarts after Dumbledore’s Army was discovered and Dumbledore took the blame, escaping arrest, leaving Dolores Umbridge as Headmistress of Hogwarts (the end of chapter 27 and the start of chapter 28 – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix). I have to admit it was funny.

Tony Abbott said in his speech to parliament that he wanted a Parliament where there would be no character assassinations, which had the Opposition cracking up. Why? Well, when he was in opposition, he did exactly that, particularly when Julia Gillard was PM.

Speaking of those who are no longer Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd decided it was time to retire from politics. He says he wants to spend more time with his family. Here is his speech, and as expected, it’s 15 minutes long.

Tony Abbott says there will be no rush to give Rudd a job, but I think he was staying in parliament until he found one himself. I’d say he probably has one and that is why he’s quitting. Mind you, Antony Green thinks it’ll be a while before a by-election can be held.

First possible by-election date is 21 December. Reckon February looks more likely. #auspol

— Antony Green – elections (@AntonyGreenElec) November 13, 2013

There have also been the usual tributes and looking back at Rudd’s political career. This is from the ABC.

And this one, also from the ABC is a look at all his strange gestures (in gif form). They give credit to Annabel Crabb and Mary Hamilton for the idea. Here is one of Annabel Crabb’s pieces from 2009 in the SMH and this is Mary Hamilton’s collection of gifs.

Well, other than that, Tony Abbott has been in Sri Lanka for CHOGM. So that’s this week for you.

Quotes of the Week

“This chamber should always be a place of spirited debate, but it should never be a place where motives are impugned or characters assassinated” – Tony Abbott. (Glass houses and throwing stones?)

“When they all return to Hogwarts, Dumbledore is gone and Dolores Umbridge is now in charge of the school,” Tony Burke, making his Harry Potter reference.

Tweet of the Week

This is in reference to the Sri Lankan asylum seeker saga.

https://twitter.com/natalietran/status/401529441332908032

https://twitter.com/natalietran/status/401530092838346753

Kevin Rudd has resigned from Parliament…

…I’m about an hour behind everyone else, but who cares. It’s also a bit random because I was making mad notes while they replayed his speech on ABC News 24.

https://twitter.com/ABCNews24/status/400554345692819456

He’s decided it “really is time to zip” and he’s wished Tony Abbott and Bill Shorten good luck – how nice – and wants to spend more time with his family. He got a standing ovation from the Labor MPs and just applause from the Liberals, at least that’s what I saw on ABC News 24.

In his speech, he said that his family has had enough of the politics and that they have been fantastic in public life and for the nation. He feels he needs to give back to them, there has been a lot of soul-searching. He hasn’t taken the decision lightly. So he’s leaving at the end of the week. So he’s telling us now. He thinks the people of Griffith, his electorate, are amazing. And thanks them for electing him. Being PM is a privilege. He wishes Tony and Australia well. The job of PM is hard.

He thanked the Labor Party, Chris Bowen and Anthony Albanese – who he called “Albo”. He also thanked the parliamentary staff, press gallery (that earned him laughs) and the public service. He feels he hasn’t changed since joining parliament, having looked back at his maiden speech. He is proud that he was able to prevent a recession in Australia, that he ratified Kyoto, a paid parental leave scheme and the apology.

It will be interesting to see how this continues….

First possible by-election date is 21 December. Reckon February looks more likely. #auspol

— Antony Green – elections (@AntonyGreenElec) November 13, 2013

The Week That Was – September 8 to September 14

So, the first week of Tony Abbott’s Prime Ministership (well, he’s actually PM-elect) is going ok and the sky hasn’t fallen, as many predicted. However, anyone who said that they were going to leave the country if Abbott ever became PM are now in a difficult position.

This week, we’ve seen the counting continue, especially in the seat of Indi (Sophie Mirabella’s seat before the election) where it is so close between Mirabella and Cathy McGowan, an Independent, that they are having to go through and look at all of the preferences. There was controversy too, when the AEC found 1,000 misplaced votes for McGowan – the AEC says it was a clerical error, so no conspiracy. If McGowan does win the seat, Mirabella will be one of, if not the only, Liberal MP to lose their seat this election, which leaves Abbott with another issue – now there is only one woman, Julie Bishop, in the yet to be sworn in Cabinet, and that could be a real problem.

Even more controversy was created on Tuesday, when Foreign Minister-elect Julie Bishop sacked the Consul-General-to-be Steve Bracks from his post. He was meant to be going to the New York Consulate as Consul-General, and was still in Canberra, presumably for briefings and training when he lost his job. That has sent Labor into a bit of a tantrum, and I’ll let them have this one, because I thought it was a little bit vindictive.

We’ve also seen some of the new senators-elect on TV:

David Leyonhjelm

Wayne Dropulich

Ricky Muir – on the ABC Website

With Kevin Rudd no longer the Labor leader, there is now the question on who will. There is a choice between Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese – and not just for Caucus. Members of the Labor Party can join as well. The only issue is how it’ll work. It’ll take about a month to find out who’ll lead the Opposition.

Hmm. At least the election campaign is over.

Last, but not least, the story of the New York Times journalist and photographer who took an asylum seeker boat to Christmas Island – they had visas, so they aren’t going to Manus Island, but hey, it’s interesting. You can read the story here.

Links

To read Julia Gillard’s piece in the Guardian, click here.

To read Antony Green’s piece about Senate preferences, click here.

Tweet of the Week

https://twitter.com/hamishNews/status/377731382983680000

Amusement

Craig Emerson singing, Skyhooks, and somewhat veiled insults on the ABC…

The Aftermath

In place of The Week That Was, I have an election aftermath special. All will be back to normal next week.

So, for those of you who watched DVDs on Saturday night to avoid the coverage, or just forgot, Tony Abbott has become Prime Minister. As of Sunday night, the Liberals have 86 seats, Labor has 57, one seat for the Greens, one Independent (Andrew Wilkie) and one Katter Party. Four seats are still in doubt, two of which could go to Palmer United Party.

Here is Kevin Rudd’s concession speech – it’s long, but he is being a good loser.

On the other hand, I bring you Tony Abbott’s acceptance speech, he’s somewhat less of a good winner, but then again, he’s not that kind of person.

Senate is being a little more difficult and the funky preferences mean that the Greens may not be holding the balance of power there anymore. That could belong to a bunch of small peculiar parties such as the Motoring Enthusiasts Party, the Sports Party and Nick Xenophon and John Madigan have their seats. Once again there are questions over whether we should have electoral reform given that there is such a strange mix of senators this election.

There were some interesting tidbits in the ABC News Special on Sunday night that required the 7:30 presenter Leigh Sales, and, at least in NSW, the ABC News weekday presenter Juanita Phillips to cover the news, as opposed to the weekend people. Not only that, but the ABC journalist out in the seat of Fairfax (where Clive Palmer could win) had placed himself right in front of the dinosaur at a golf course Clive Palmer owns – it started moving as the journo began his live cross, leading to a lot of laughs in my living room.

The Last One…

Sorry this is a tad late, but hey, we’re at the end, and we’ve find out who is leading our country…finally.

Wednesday saw the aftermath of the previous night’s Lateline on the ABC, when Roger Corbett, a Fairfax board member and member of the Liberal Party made some comments about Kevin Rudd – they weren’t nice, and the media got into a frenzy. Doug Cameron said that Corbett should “do the right thing and quit,” and Christine Milne doesn’t think it was very nice either.

The ad blackout began on Thursday morning at 12am, so there are no more political ads!

Speaking of which, the Coalition decided that this was when they should release their costings. They will decrease foreign aid by AU$4 billion and put that into infrastructure. They will scrap public transport plans and put more emphasis on roads. There is also that repetitive spiel of “cut the mining tax, cut the carbon tax, cut the waste” which drove me mental.

There was also a bit of a brouhaha in Sydney after there was a stabbing. One of the people involved is a refugee, and Scott Morrison, the Shadow Minister for Immigration decided that he could politicise it, which was probably not the best thing to do, and Tony Burke said that we should be able to make up our own minds.

The last day of the campaign, Friday. Everyone got a bit paranoid – Labor could lose 10-20 seats apparently. Tony Abbott plus one daughter spent time with some cute guide dogs – not that dogs should sway anyone, but the puppies were so cute!

Anyway, Kevin Rudd made one last push, saying that his government has plans and Tony Abbott doesn’t. He may have said something along the lines of “we’ll all be doomed” if Abbott does come to power. Tony Abbott thinks Kevin Rudd is getting desperate and scaring people and doesn’t have a plan – which was a bit mean.

Oh well, no more election campaign! Yay!

Baddies v Baddies, Nerds and Threats

Sunday saw the Labor Launch, in which Rudd announced  policies to help apprentices, such as mandatory employment of a certain amount of apprentices in major projects and giving them an allowance to buy their tools. He also announced tax breaks for small business and told people the election wasn’t over until the last ballots are cast. Tony Abbott was mentioned 26 times and Julia Gillard was acknowledged, which I think was nice. Anthony Albanese said that while Tony Abbott can jump through tires, but Kevin Rudd is a nerd. I’m not going to simplify it.

Speaking of simplifying, Tony Abbott is in a bit of a pickle after saying that the issue in Syria was “baddies versus baddies” – the Labor party has jumped on this saying that this shows that Abbott does not have the capacity to deal with international issues – the Liberals disagree. It’s made international news (why is it always the awkward moments?) but apparently both David Cameron and Barack Obama have used the term “bad guys” – in context Cameron said “you’ve got a lot of bad guys in Syria” and Obama said that they don’t “know who the bad guys are” – either way, Tony Abbott probably shouldn’t have said it.

Monday saw Kevin Rudd go to a high school, I’m not sure why, it had something to with him being a nerd…he keeps telling people not to vote for Tony Abbott too, understandable, given that he wants to win – but still, he says it a lot.

It also turns out that the Labor-held seat of Page is very important. It changes with the government, like most marginal seats in the cities. The Nationals and Liberals are fighting for it, given that the seats surrounding it are most likely going to them. The Nationals really, really want it, given that it used to be a safe seat for them. Mind you, people thought some NSW state seats were really safe Labor, and then swung 30% the other way, so anything can happen.

Tuesday saw Tony Abbott threaten to have a double dissolution election if he doesn’t get his way with removing the carbon tax. Labor of course wants a floating carbon price. It will be interesting to see what happens…

It also saw this video of Kevin Rudd go viral:

The Australian Christian Lobby (who lost their site to the Australian Cat Ladies) think he will lose votes, and that is their opinion. It is interesting to note that all of the Christian clergy saying that Rudd would lose votes were Protestant and I think mostly Anglican – not a single Catholic clergyman was interviewed as they refused to comment.

Oh well, Saturday is coming…..I’ll leave you with some Antony Green ranting:

The Week that Was – August 25 to August 31

Well, its been an interesting week.

Saturday saw an addition to Tony Abbott’s asylum seeker policy, with him not only trying to “stop the boats”, but if an asylum seeker or refugee does arrive in Australia, they will not be given access to Legal Aid – the people who provide legal advice free of charge. It also saw some sort of brouhaha regarding the Liberal-National coalition. Warren Truss’ head has been cut out of an election advert in the papers and it appears that they are really trying to get the votes off the Liberals.

It’s been an ok week, no major gaffes, not too boring either. But just ok.

Also, if you’d like to look at who is up for election in your seat or your state’s senate seats, have a look here at Below the Line. You can also have a go at ordering the candidates – if in NSW, I would definitely have a look.

Best Moments this Week

Rooty Hill ‘Common Sense Test’ Guy:

Netballers (start watching at about 1:40):

Tweet of the Week

according to antony green: If you want to be ultra safe, fill in below the line and the fill in one of the above the line squares… /2

— Jonathan Green (@GreenJ) September 1, 2013

… The below the line vote takes priority, but if proves to be informal, the ballot paper will revert to the above the line option.

— Jonathan Green (@GreenJ) September 1, 2013